Violet Grohl talks about music as an outlet, her father and her debut album “Be Sweet to Me”.
In the Grohl family, too, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. A month after the release of the Foo Fighters’ new album, Dave Grohl’s daughter Violet is releasing her debut “Be Sweet to Me”. Her album will be released on May 29th. Like her father, she expresses herself in alternative rock. We met her in Berlin and interviewed her about her new LP.
Who is your album title “Be Sweet to Me” aimed at?
“Be Sweet to Me” is a phrase that my best friend and I say to each other all the time. We often tease each other. When things go too far, one of us says, “Be sweet, be sweet.” I thought about what the album should be called for a long time and thought: That fits perfectly. It also has something of a request – “Be nice to me, give me a chance.”
Your musical influences are very diverse. When did you realize what kind of music you wanted to make?
There were many moments when a record touched me deeply. For example, Björk’s “Homogenic”. I heard that when I was very young and it sparked a whole different kind of creativity that I didn’t even know was within me. And if you listen to The Breeders, the Pixies and especially Alice in Chains – their melodies and the way they wrote were raw and real, but poetic at the same time. I’ve been writing poems since I was a child, and at some point I realized that song lyrics and poetry go hand in hand.
Your sources of inspiration range from the everyday to the very specific. Do personal experiences also flow into your songs?
Yes, absolutely. It’s a mix of all of these things. I am more of an introverted person than an extrovert. I love people watching, just sitting and looking at things, listening to people or being outside and experiencing things. When I have the urge to write or create something, the idea comes from a feeling or something everyday. A good example is “Apple Fish”. The title doesn’t mean anything specific – it was an image that came up while writing the music. The song was recorded later than the others, in May 2025. I wasn’t feeling particularly well at the time because I had been involved in a bad accident. I’ve thought a lot about mortality and life and death. The track then became an outlet for these feelings, and in the studio we were able to find exactly the sound for it.
Which song from your new album is closest to your heart?
That’s hard. I’m constantly changing. “Bug in the Cake” and “Often Others” are two songs that I love very much. “Bug in the Cake” is so much fun now that I’m rehearsing and playing it with my band. It feels good getting ready to play it live. I can barely wait for it. These two are probably my favorites. “Bug in the Cake” is very special to me because it’s a little homage to my grandma and to Virginia – funnily enough, her name was also Virginia.
Your music videos and Instagram have a distinct vintage look. How did this style develop and what does it mean to you?
My style and taste have evolved over time. Now I’m at a point where I really know what I like and what I want to create, wear or associate with my work. It takes a while to figure out what you like, but I had a lot of support from my parents and friends who were always open to me expressing myself the way I wanted. I draw a lot of inspiration from past eras, particularly the Victorian and Edwardian periods. I love silent films and pre-Code Hollywood films, and I love the alternative and rock scenes of the 80s and 90s. They are so rich in authenticity. Everyone listened to themselves and at the same time said out loud what they were frustrated about or what they wanted more of in the world. I’ve always felt very connected to that and I wanted to represent that in my music.
What made you want to work with producer Justin Raisen? How did you meet him?
We met after my dad and I went to a Kim Gordon concert. She played at a festival, I think in Copenhagen. The two then talked backstage and talked about the show and the record, and Justin came up. Then I got Justin’s number and we started writing. And then we hung out, talked and listened to music. It was so much fun. About halfway through our conversation, it was clear to me: This is the person I have to work with.
The album was created in a relatively short time. How long did it take exactly?
We started at the end of August 2024 and then recorded “What’s Heaven Without You,” the David Lynch tribute, in January 2025. Afterwards we thought: I think we’re done. We’ve had enough.
Have you collected ideas over the years or did it all come about in the studio? What was the songwriting process like?
A lot of things only occurred to me in the studio. I had been there before, but with ideas that I had written at home. With Justin, I just wanted to see what happened during the recording. On the first day I came with no concrete ideas and we started jamming. It felt very spontaneous – in a good way. At the end of the day we finished “THUM”. So we thought: let’s keep doing this, it works. I had some song ideas in my head for a while and knew that I wanted to write about them at some point. Others came from images that came to mind while listening to the instrumentals. It was really fun and I was able to learn a lot about how I make music.
You’ve written songs inspired by David Lynch. What exactly about Lynch influenced your songwriting?
He was a big topic of conversation for all of us during the recording of the album because Justin and I love his work so much. There is a song on the album that is also a tribute to him: “Often Others”. I wanted to do something hard, fast and heavy and express that female anger – that feeling of constantly being told that your experiences are invalid or that you’re exaggerating. There are also a few allusions to quotes from “Twin Peaks” in the song. Lynch is incredibly intuitive and profound. At the same time, he incorporated into his work brilliant commentary about the world and about problems in American society that are often overlooked. He transforms something seemingly everyday into an abstract, emotional story with elements of the supernatural, horror and murder. I miss him very much. He was truly incredible.
In “Cool Buzz” you explore experiences with seemingly progressive men in the music industry. How often do you encounter situations like this in everyday life?
Unfortunately, it’s a reality when you’re a woman working in the music scene. You are often not taken seriously. There are too many men in music who say they will give women space but get in the way. That’s why I wanted to make a statement about it – and at the same time have fun with this sound because it means a lot to me. I live in Los Angeles and know a lot of people from the scene. The song was really fun to record.
You didn’t immediately inform your father about your record deal. Was it important to you to stand on your own two feet as an artist?
I think so. But it wasn’t really planned not to tell him anything. The deal had been in the works for a while, and when I signed it, I called him and said, “I signed my record deal today.” He said to me: “Then let’s celebrate!” He was always supportive and at the same time a bit in the background – he wanted me to go my own way. Of course, my background gave me a lot of opportunities and I know that. But music is really my passion. It was nice to do something on my own. It was a big moment for me.
You sang background vocals for the Foo Fighters. Could you imagine being on stage with them again?
I love singing with my dad and I love the Foo Fighters. It’s like a big family. If the opportunity ever arises again to tour together or sing a song together, I would definitely do it.
When will the album be released and when are you going on tour?
The album will be released on May 29th. I’ll be playing a few shows in the summer and later in the year, including Puchel Pop and the Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta, as well as other festivals. I’m really looking forward to it – I have a great band and it will be really fun.
